Boy Who Lived: Prince of Thieves
by Hidden In The Darkness 15
Summary: When Lucius Malfoy goes looking his run away son, he finds more than he bargained for.
1. Chapter 1

Okay, so this is really just a taste test. If it gets a good response the show will go on!

Disclaimer: Nah, I own all seven books, but I don't own the characters.

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_**Boy Who Lived: Prince of Thieves**_

_**Chapter 1**_

Lucius Malfoy scowled as he walked through the lowest part of Knockturn Alley. Given, most of Knocktun Alley was considered a slum, but that was only for appearance purposes. The beggers and scum of their society hovered in only one part of the infamous place.

_'Pathetic.'_ Lord Malfoy thought when a little girl darted out in front of him, grabbing hold of the scruffy mutt that had trotted there, and just sat down. The animal seemed to grin at him, and the girl crouched beside the mongrel, murmuring to it. She looked up at him as if she heard the thought, then turned to the boy that had joined her. He looked her in the eye, looked ay Lord Malfoy, and the girl nodded, getting up.

She brushed the dirt off her already grubby dress, and she, the boy, and the dog, made their way out of sight, melting into the crowd.

Lucius frowned, but immediately forgot the children. He had come to this slum for a reason, and he wouldn't fail.

It wasn't until later that he realized his money was gone.

* * *

Amy rubbed the scruff of Pon's neck as she waited, watching the other side of the road, and the boy that stood there. The small girl, just past what she thought could be her twelfth birthday, was undersized, her large brown eyes standing out in her small round face, a tangle of blond hair on her head, Amy looked far from what most thought she should, in the position she held.

The boy on the other side of the road was her twin brother, Adam. He looked almost exactly like his sister, though his hair was cut short. He wasn't looking at his sister, but rather, another boy on the same side of the road as her, only farther up.

The other boy was older than the twins, and his dark hair and eyes gave him the brooding look. His name, he told them, was Trent, though they had reason to believe that he was lying. But no one called him out on it. He had his reasons for not telling them.

Just as a tall, blonde, well off man passed Trent, he lifted his hand to Adam, who in turn nodded to his sister.

Amy kneeled down beside the mutt at her feet. "Okay, Pon, Tactic 5." She whispered in a floppy ear, and the dog seemed to nod, and left to trot out in the middle of the road, stopping in fron of the snobbish looking man.

Moments later, Amy darted out behind him, and crouched beside him, to waste time.

_'Pathetic,'_ Amy looked up at the man as the word resounded in what she thought would be what his voice sounded like. It wasn't actually said out loud, but Amy found that normal. She could read the thoughts of others for a s long as she could remember.

Soon, her brother joined her, and thought her way, _'His aura is tainted. He has the Dark Mark.'_ Much like Amy could read thoughts, Adam could read auras. That was why their mother had cast out the two children on their sixth birthday.

The boy looked over at the blond Death Eater, and saw Trent walking casually away.

_'We're done here.'_ He thought, and Amy nodded. They both stood, Amy pausing to wipe the dust off her old dress.

Both she and her brother left the man standing there, knowing he wouldn't be able to recognize them later, or point them out.

Trent would take care of that.

* * *

Lucius growled as he reached for his money pouch, only to find it missing. When had _that_ happened?

When those children had got in his way, most likely. He tried to think back, wanting to go report it. But the details of the children escaped his grasp. Their faces were blurred, and he couldn't even remember the color of the dog.

He sighed in frustration. That wouldn't help in an investigation. And besides, he didn't have time to file a report with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement anyway. He had to find his son.

Draco had run away two months ago, after Lucius had announced his intentions to remarry.

Draco's mother had died a year ago, and the boy felt betrayed on her part. So one night, in the deadest part of the night, he had packed his bags and stole out of the mansion.

And in two months, his father had yet to find him!

Right now, Lucius was following a rumour. It was a desperate ploy for a desperate man. There was recent news of a so called 'Prince of Thieves' in Knockturn Alley. If that wasn't Draco, then the boy would at least be among the inner circle of the followers. He was too much like his father than to not be. At least, that's what the man hoped.

But so far, there was nothing. He had been prowling these streets for three days, for a sign, a whisper, _anything_! But the Prince of Thieves seemed to be keeping a low profile, which led Lord Malfoy to believe the Prince wasn't his son. Draco would be flaunting his position.

Lucius stalked back to the inn where he was staying, writing off this day as another failure, when a young voice called from the shadows.

"I heard you were looking for His Majesty."

That cought the blond man's attention, and his eyes landed on the patch of shadows the kid stood in.

"Yes, I am." Lucius said cautiously, after a moment.

The voice, it turned out, belonged to a boy around fifteen, a few years younger than his own son.

The boy smiled, showing sharp canine teeth, and his eyes glinted amber. A young lycanthrope.

"Everyone's looking for him for some reason or another. I don't peg you as a ministry worm, or of a target seeking vengence. Looking for someone you think may be among the ranks, then?" The boy queried, and Lucius stepped back mistrustfully. He thought the boy had guessed too quickly.

"Oh, don't worry, blondie. I'm not psychic or anything, I leave that to the Jokers. You met them today, though you won't remember them. I saw the Knight with them, he'll have taken care of that." The boy laughed. It sounded more like a bark. Lucius repressed a flinch when the boy called him blondie.

"So you have been stalking me. And who are the Jokers, and the Knight?" Lucius demanded, though he already had an idea.

"Not stalking, blondie, merely observing. I wanted to make sure you could be trusted before I talked to you. And since I do trust you, for this anyway, your other questions will be answered in due time." The werewolf answered vaguely.

"Why me?" Lucius asked finally.

"Because I think I know who you're looking for, blondie. You know, you're not the only one I call that. There's one other, just as blonde as you, and just as stuck up as you." The teen seemed to go off on a tangent, but the blond saw it for what it was. A tid bit, something to keep him hooked.

"What do you want from me?" He demanded, uncomfortable. He felt the snake staff in his hand writhe. It had a spell on it that reacted to his emotions. It would come alive and strike out when he was exceptionally angry, though he was only agitated right now, and so was the staff. Her subtly pressed the ruby eye of the cane, and temporarily deactivated.

"Only information, blondie. You're close to the Minister," Lucius' eyes widened, "Oh, yes, blondie, I know exactly who you are. Lord Lucius Malfoy, who lost his precious heir, and is searching for him. You aren't the only one digging, blondie. I've got sources, too. Though they can't give me what I want. Information, on the Boy-Who-Lived."

"Why do you want to hear about a boy who's been dead for six years?" Lord Malfoy wasconfused, now, rather than angry.

"That's for me to know, and for you find out, blondie. So, for now, how does a nice, private talk sound? The walls have ears here." Without waiting for an answer, the boy walked away, Lucius following close behind.

They made their way to a small pub, just as a large man got thrown through the swinging doors, and a course woman's voice told the man now on the ground to not come back. So, all in all, quiet and peaceful for a pub in Knockturn Alley.

The boy walked around the drunk and into the bar as if he owned it, and was greeted by a roar of approval by the full pub room, Lucius still on his heel. They walked right up to the bar, and waited until the stocky barmaid noticed them, and grinned when she saw the blond man's companion, she grinned widely, and made her way over.

"Matty! Long time no see around here! Here on his majesties business, or are you..." She eyed Lucius, "On the job?"

Lucius looked horrified, and Matty, the young werewolf, just laughed. "On the job, Flow, and I was wondering if you had a room free?"

Lucius watched incredulously as the woman pulled a key from her apron, and whispered something in the boy's ear. He smiled again, and whispered something back, before wading into the midst of the rowdy bodies. Flow sent Lucius a lusty wink as he went behind the boy. He shuddered.

Finally, after fighting their way up the stairs and unlocking an ancient looking door, they entered into a silent, dark room, which immediatly flooded with light when Matty snapped his fingers. He settled down at the small table set up in the middle of the room, looking far more at ease than he should be.

Lucius scowled. "Come here with strange older men often. 'On the job', as you and that barmaid put it?"

"Getting jealous, blondie? I hardly know you. Or are you worried for my virtue? This may be news to you, Lord Malfoy, but I'm but a lowly street mutt, I get the money when and where I can." Matty smirked, though it didn't meet his eyes . Lucius found his staff responding to his irritation again. This time, he let it. The snake collapsed to the ground and curled around its owner's feet, placid for now, but ready to strike on command.

"Tell me what I want to know, and you don't die." Malfoy growled.

"I'm not afraid to die, Lord Malfoy, I haven't been afraid of death since the day I was bitten, and subsequently kicked out of my house by my parents. I was nine years old. The only person that cared enough to save me was a black haired, green eyed boy. He didn't care I am a lycan, he wasn't bothered by the fact he would have to take care of me, even though he was only two years older than me, it didn't even phase him when I told him I was gay. He is my idol, my savior, and now, he needs my help. So, if you kill me, I have nothing to lose, and you, you lose everything. I tell you what you want to hear, and you tell me what I need to know." Suddenly, Matty was very serious.

"You met Harry Potter? When? You can't be more than fifteen, and if you were nine, that was six years ago, which is when the Boy-Who-Lived died down in the Chamber of Secrets to save the Weasley girl." Lucius told the boy. "Are you sure that was who saved you?"

"I know my idol. Even fancied myself in love with him a year ago. He thinks he straight, but most of us think he's asexual." Finally, the humor was back in his eyes. Lucius found himself relieved. Then he caught on to something.

"Wait, you said 'most of you', and think was in present tense. Am I missing something here?" He asked, finally settling in the chair across from the young werewolf.

"Oh, whoops." Matty said, not sounding worried at all.

Then it all connected in the sly mind hidden under platinum blond hair. "Why do I have a feeling that our inqueries are similar?" He said slowly.

The barking laughter was back. "You're slower than I thought, I was sure you'd get it earlier. Keep going, blondie, there's no one stopping you!"

"The Prince of Thieves is Harry Potter."

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And there ya go. Isn't Lucy _smarticles? _Really, how many of y'all got it before he did?


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, so it's a bit late, but so are the reviews! Very few people reviewed, and it Depressed me! (pout) Anywho, here it is. Chapter 2.

_**(Lucius talking during Matty's story)**_

(Matty talking during his story)

_**Boy Who Lived: Prince of Thieves**_

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_**Chapter 2**_

_Then it all connected in the sly mind hidden under platinum blond hair. "Why do I have a feeling that our inqueries are similar?" He said slowly._

_The barking laughter was back. "You're slower than I thought, I was sure you'd get it earlier. Keep going, blondie, there's no one stopping you!"_

_"The Prince of Thieves is Harry Potter."_

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Matty started applauding madly. "Bravo, blondie, and that only took you," he glanced out the window to gauge the moon's position, "a half hour to conclude. Really, even your son got it quicker. Then again, he was looking right at His Majesty when he figured it out, but-"

"You really know my son?" Lucius interupted.

"Why, yes. I was right there when he first became part of the court." Matty settled back more, something Lucius didn't think was possible, with how close the teen was to the back of the chair he was in, and began to tell his tale.

_**One and a Half Months Before: Court of The Prince of Theives**_

_I was on the dias with His Majesty when the blond boy walked in. He looked around like he owned the place, even though he was dressed in little more than rags at the time. _

_One could almost see the cogs turning in his head. He was planning something._

_Then his eyes fell upon His Majesty, who was chatting with one of the Jokers, the Knight right at his side, acting as a guard._

_He didn't seem to recognize him at first, which is exactly what His Majesty wanted. He was far too recognizable before. But, as I watched the blond, I saw his gray eyes- (_interesting color, by the way, and I can see he got them from you_) (__**Go on, you imbecile.**__) (_fine, fine, as I was saying..._) I saw his gray eyes widen in recognition, and immediatly tried to draw His Majesty's attention to it. He waved me off, but he was definately paying attention when your brat- (__**Ahem**__)(_What?_) (_**My Brat?**_)(_oh, fine-_) Your _kid_ decided to yell clear across the room._

_"_Potter_?! _You're_ the Prince of thieves?!"_

_Of course, His Majesty didn't even deem him worth a glance, even as he stormed straight up to the dias. _Noone_ comes straight up to the dias. When he was close enough to hear, His Majesty said, "Malfoy, you're disturbing the peace." Just as calm as anything, even though the idiot- (_**Ahem**_) (__What?!__)(_**Watch what you call my son. That is the future Lord Malfoy.**_) __(_*snort* Not if he has anything to say about it. Now shut up and let me tell my story! As I was saying..._) Even though the idiot just revealed his identity to a whole room full of people, only five of which knew who he truly was! But here His Majesty was, brushing it off as if it were nothing. Hell, even the Knight drew his sword!_

_(__**What?!**_** How old **_**is**_** this Knight person, and why in the world does he have a sword in the first place?!**_) (_What, did you think we called him the Knight because it was a cool nickname? No, the guy wields a sword, wears body armor under his clothes, and has a chilvilrous streak a mile wide. Now will you _shut up_ and let me finish? Yes? Good._) _

_After that, it all went down hill. Your brat challenged His Majesty to a duel for the throne, though how the idiot thought we would swear fealty to him if he won is a mystery to me. Anyway, he began firing off curses when His Majesty declined, and things got messy. I got hit with a bat bogey, the Jokers both got pelted with silencers, but both the Knight and His Majesty remained unscathed. By the way, your boy's not too bright. Setting off uncontrolled curses and hexes in a room full of people, not all of them on the Lighter side, I'm surprised one of the more... volatile courtiers didn't do him in with a quick Avada Kedavra. It's been known to happen._

_Finally, your brat got tired,and collapsed, passing out. We were going to throw him off a bridge, but His Majesty was in a merciful mood, and had him sent upstairs to sleep it off._

_And things went on as usual._

_The next day, he came down and apologised, then he and His Majesty went in the inner chamber to talk. They came out, and everything was fine._

_That's how your idiotic, stuck up, brat of a son joined the court of the Prince of Thieves._

_**Flashback End**_

"Are you done?" Lucius asked, and Matty nodded. "Good, I didn't want my head being bitten off again. And must you insult my son so? And why would he not want to be the next Lord Malfoy?!"

"Face it, Lord Malady, he ran away for a reason. And your getting married wasn't the only one." Matty murmured, as he examined his sharper than normal nails.

"What do you mean?" The blond said stiffly, and Matty looked up at him and pouted.

"Come on now, Lucy. We were just getting to know each other, don't go soving that stick up your ass again!"

"E-excuse me?!" Lucius was aghast that the boy would use such crass language.

"Now I've hurt your precious virgin ears. Tragic, really. Ah, well. Get some rest, blondie. I'm taking you to meet His Majesty tomorrow, and you have to be on your best behaviour. Don't want you to make me look bad!" Matty hopped up from the chair he had all but melted into, and headed towards the door. He walked out the door, leaving Lord Malfoy with more questions than answers.

~*~*~*~

That was how, the next day, Lucius found himself wrapped in a large cloak with the hood up to hide his hair and face, neatly blindfolded, one hand clutching the boy strutting in front of him for guidance.

"Tell me again why I have to be dressed like this, and in a blindfold no less?" He ground out angrily when Matty began whistling a casual tune.

He didn't see the boy smirk back at him.

"Because, blondie, only certain people are allowed to know the location of the Court of the Prince of Thieves, and you're not one of them. I, on the other hand, do know. So keep quiet, blondie, and keep talking."

Lucius sighed, and continued telling the younger man everything he knew about Harry Potter, holding to their agreement. He started with the night the Dark Lord came to kill the boy, including the prophecy, and rounded off where his information stopped, namely the day the boy disappeared. Ginny Weasley lived, but the boy was never seen again, thought to be killed by the Basilisk they found dead there.

"So... you're the whole reason the Chamber was opened in the first place?" Matty said after a while, already piecing together what the diary was. There were very few artifacts that had a mind of their own, and very few ways to get them that way.

The blond man winced. "Well... I guess you could put it that way..."

"Great! Thanks!" Matty said happily, opening a door the Lucius couldn't see.

"Wait, what?"

"If His Majesty didn't feel the need to disappear, he wouldn't have been around to save me, thus, right now, I would be dead. Since he left because of something you did, I thank you. You can take off your blinfold now, though I wouldn't take off the robe. Seeing you might cause a minor panic." Matty smiled at some of the children that were running around. No one payed attention to them, even though he had a tall, strange man standing next to him. Matty was one of the most loyal, he wouldn't do anything to comprimise the Prince.

Lucius untied the slip of silk, and let it glide into his hand as he looked around, astounded.

Where he expected a run down building, called the Court by a bunch of brats, he was met with a grand entrance hall, the marble gleaming a pristine white. Children ran around underfoot, laughing and smiling, far from the emaciated group he imagined. To the right, the was a set of mohogany doors, that Matty immediatly went to.

"Well, follow me, blondie. Lets get this done." He called over his shoulder.

Lord Malfoy followed the boy through the doors and into a chamber grander than the entrance hall. In here, not only were there children, but adults meandered, talking, laughing, and drinking. And, on a platform in the back of the room, settled in an ornate throne, was the most beautiful boy Lucius had ever seen. He had long, raven hair that reached his midback, and brilliant green eyes. He was thin, but far from anorexic, and his almost feline feature stood out.

The Prince of Thieves. Harry Potter.

Without thinking, Lucius began wading through the crowd, making his way to the dias. Matty ran after him, mumbling under his breath about disrespectful blondes. He managed to grab the older man's arm just as he was about to reach the paltform.

"Blondie, do you _want_ to be killed. Look," Matty pointed to a dark haired boy that stood off to the side of the Prince. The boy had seen Lucius' approach, and had partially drawn a gleaming sword, his black eyes cold and mistrustful. "That's the Knight. They say he killed his own parents once he found out they supported the Dark Lord. He's got ice water for blood, and he only has a soft spot for His Majesty and the Jokers."

Lucius repressed a shiver. "And who are the Jokers?"

A pair of children were pointed out. One of them, a girl, was looking right at them, and smiling. The other, a boy, was playing with a scruffy dog. They were perched on the edge of the dias.

"You mentioned they played mind games?" Lucius prompted. Matty grinned at him, showcasing his sharp canines again.

"You remember that? Good. Well, the little girl, Amy-"

"I can read minds, Lord Malfoy." A small, quiet voice interupted. They turned to find that both Amy and Adam had left their places at the dias to join them.

"So you're a legilemens?" Lucius crouched down to be eye level with the children.

"Not exactly." Matty explained, knowing the children wouldn't know what that was, "Legilmency can be blocked by its counter, Occlumency. But, even if you're shielded against Legilemens, you wouldn't be able to block Amy."

"I can read auras." Adam provided. Lucius didn't even have to ask for an explanation, the boy provided it freely. "Everybody is surrounded by a magical cacoon, which shows, emotion, magical strength, and health. Your's, for instance, has a black splotch around your arm that is slowly leeching away at your body. You bear the Dark Mark."

Just as the older blond man was about to respond, Amy said, seeming randomly, "Trent, don't. He doesn't know it yet, but he's here to help."

Lucius looked up from his position into cold dark eyes. It seemed the knight had deighned to join them.

"Trent can erase memories. We don't know how, we don't know why, but he can." Amy stated.

Trent scowled at her, though his look held no real anger.

"Giving out our secrets freely, my Jokers? My Bard?" A whispery voice questioned, and Lucius looked up, shocked, at the new member of their group. It seemed as if they had been noticed, and drawn the attention of the whole room, including the Prince, who now stood over them.

Lucius thought the boy was beautiful from far away, but this close, he was breathtaking.

"Mathew, what is the meaning of bringing a Death Eater to my Court?" the Prince asked, in the same whispery voice. Lucius was reminded of the wind whispering through trees.

Matty didn't seem chastised. He only grinned and bowed. "My Leige. He is looking for his son. I thought I would help."

For a moment, sadness and pity flashed in jade eyes as the Prince looked at one of his oldest friends, but it was gone before Lucius could register it, leaving him to think it was a trick of the light.

"Of course he is. But we have many... _missing_ sons. Which one is he looking for?" The Prince asked, looking at Lucius and trying to discern his features.

"Hey, blondie, pull off your hood and bid a proper hello to His Majesty!" Matty ordered playfully. Lucius complied, though rather reluctantly, but going against him wouldn't get Draco back any faster.

The Prince didn't even flinch when the visitor revealed himself, bowing very slightly.

"Lord Malfoy. I should have known you would track us down eventually. Especially as your son has joined my ranks. I'm guessing you would like to speak to him?" The raven asked, but, not waiting for an answer, he casually waved a hand, and a man at least twice his age appeared at his elbow.

"Yes, my Liege?" The man was practically nondescript, and Lucius knew he wouldn't remember the guys face as soon as he left.

"Kain, go summon Draco from the infirmiry and tell him he has a visitor, would you?" The Prince said, not even turning to look at the man when he bowed and shuffled away.

While they were waiting, Lucius kept glancing at the young man out of the corner of his eye, and still he couldn't do it. His mind just wouldn't connect the innocent, foolhardy boy he met in Florish and Blotts so many years ago with this quiet raven haired beauty, who seemed to exude power from his pores.

"You are Harry Potter, aren't you?" Lucius asked quietly. Green eyes looked up at him.

"No, I"m not. Harry Potter died six years ago. I am the Prince of Thieves." The raven said that with conviction, but, as he did, the fringe of his hair parted slightly, and Lucius could see the begining of the famous scar.

About to express his confusion, the older man was interuted when an incredulous voice cried, "_Father?!"_

~*~*~*~

So, I hope y'all liked it. Just so you know, I'm holding Chapter 3 hostage until a ransom of 5 reviews is paid. If these demands are met, you will get the story back, none the worse for wear. That is all.


	3. Chapter 3

Yeah, yeah, it's late. Explanations at the bottom, 'cause I don't feel like typing it right now. Just enjoy the chapter, please.

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**__**Boy Who Lived: Prince of Thieves**_

_**Chapter 3**_

_**Recap:**_

"_No, I"m not. Harry Potter died six years ago. I am the Prince of Thieves." The raven said that with conviction, but, as he did, the fringe of his hair parted slightly, and Lucius could see the begining of the famous scar._

_About to express his confusion, the older man was interuted when an incredulous voice cried, "_Father?!_"_

* * *

Turning slowly, Lucius knew that if he was anyone else, he would have cried, because there, in all his glory, stood his only son, Draco Lucio Malfoy, alive and well.

Instead, he opted for a nod, and a formal, "Draco."

Draco looked shocked for mere moments before his face showed nothing but disgust. "Hello, father." His eyes turned from the older blond, and landed on the Prince.

"Draco, you are the Malfoy heir, are you not?" The Prince queried without letting the other boy speak first.

Draco scowled, looking much like his father at the moment, and said, "I _was_Heir Malfoy. Now I am just Draco, My Liege."

Lucius was struck by the parallels of his own life.

_"Lucius, you are Heir Malfoy, are you not?"_

_"My Lord, I _was_Heir Malfoy. Now I live only to serve you."_

That was the first and only conversation he and the Dark Lord had, without any curses cast by Voldemort. It was almost civil.

Lucius looked at Harry again. If Draco was playing his part, did that mean the Prince played the part of Voldemort?

"No, sir. His Majesty would never do that. He cares for all of us too much." Amy whispered.

He had forgotten about the young empath.

"My Liege, my life as Heir Malfoy ended when I left the grounds that night, a few months ago. I refuse to become the older brother to whatever brats my father and that- that- _whore_ could make together." Draco sneered when he mentioned the woman he thought his father was to marry.

"Draco, I'm not going into a marriage without your consent, and you obviously didn't approve of her. So, we broke it off." Lucius explained, and though his outer appearance was cold, he was practically pleading with his son now.

"It doesn't matter that you didn't go through with it! It's that you considered it that's the problem! I put up with your dating, I thought it was a way to work through the grief. But, it turns out you have already forgotten mother!" Draco shouted, losing his cool quicker than his father.

Before Lucius could respond, a sharp voice said, "Draco." And both pairs of gray eyes were drawn to green.

"You are losing yourself to your anger. I thought we got rid of that bad habit. Go back to your patients. I will take care of it from here." The Prince ordered, and though he knew his son submitted to the slightly younger teen, Lucius was shocked to see his son bow, and comply, leaving the small group that now held the attention of the whole hall.

"Lord Malfoy, please follow me. We have much to discuss." The Prince commanded, and, like Matty, he walked off without waiting to see if the older man would do as told.

Glancing back once at the disappearing platinum blond head that belonged to his son, Lucius scrambled to follow the younger man into the back chambers.

He found himself going through a partially hidden set of doors, and into a circular room, decorated in muted colors and plush furnishings.

The boy, he found, was flung out in one of the plusher chairs, seemingly completely relaxed.

"Lord Malfoy, I think, for convenience purposes, you should call me Harry. You are not sworn to me, nor are you part of my Court, so asking you to call me Liege is just pompous." Harry said, smiling serenely.

"Harry, then. You may call me Lucius. You know, Headmaster Dumbledore has been looking for you for a long time." Lucius stated as he himself settled in the chair across from the raven, who frowned slightly, but not at him.

"Dumbledore, looking for me? No, he was looking for the famous Boy-Who-Lived. Harry Potter slipped through the cracks. I was just a pawn to him, one he could move freely."

Lucius sneered. "Ah, poor little famous boy, your precious pride was hurt, being told what to do, wasn't it? Used to getting your way with those muggles you lived with? Is that why you ran away and created this Court, so you could be treated like a prince again?"

Something akin to fury flashed in the jade eyes, but, just as before, the emotion was gone too quickly.

Instead of yelling, which Lucius would have expected from a Potter, the raven casually got up, and pulled up the green shirt that covered his torso. Lucius' breath caught in his throat.

The boy's beautiful body was marred with criss crossing scars, most of which were faded. The shirt was replaced, and Harry sat again.

"Ten years of constant abuse. I endured it because I thought I had no choice. I _'ran away'_as you put it, because a week before Ginerva Weasley went into the Chamber of Secrets, I received a letter from my _dear_uncle Vernon. In it, he said that when I got back from my 'freak school', we would be having more fun together than usual. I was only twelve, but I could guess what that meant. When I showed it to the Headmaster, he brushed it off as easily as dirt, said I was overreacting. During the Chamber Escapade, I escaped through the private chambers of Salazar Slytherin, and left. It wasn't until years later that I found out the reason Dumbledore was so adamant about me retuning to my relatives was because there was a sort of ward around the house that took my powers and drained them, filtering them to the Headmaster himself. I was running off a mere fraction of my real power while at that school. I defeated Voldemort _twice_on a fraction of my power. Can you imagine how strong I am now? I don't even know the full extent myself. I wasn't treated like a prince by those muggles. And I didn't want to be treated like a Prince now, but it was the best way to accomplish what needs to be done." The raven explained.

Lucius felt like an idiotic schoolboy, chastised by a teacher, though he didn't show it. Instead, he asked, "What needs to be done, and why do most of your closest followers seem to think you need my help?"

"Lucius, I'm sure that you know from listening to Voldemort rant so much, that the chains that bind the Wizarding World are deteriorating quickly. It's not due to the muggleborns, but to the muggles themselves. Muggleborns are magical, just as you and I are, so why prosecute them due to their parentage. But I am trying to stop muggle/wizard relationships, which is weeding the power out of ancient bloodlines, as is the inbreeding purebloods practice. Our race is dying, birth defects and squibs are getting more and more common. But, if a purblood married and had children with a muggleborn, those children would be less likely to suffer from the same things that plague almost every pureblood child. Your son Draco is one of the few that came out normal and healthy. A good example of bad breeding are Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Both come from long lines well respected for their brilliance. Those two, though, couldn't contemplate their way out of a paper bag. I need help because, even though I am the product of a muggleborn and a pureblood, my health is failing. In a little over a year, neither Harry Potter nor the Prince of Thieves will exist anymore. I need someone to take over my mission once that happens."

The blond sat back heavily in his chair, "Wait, wait, you're _dying_? Of _what_?" He demanded, more worried than his conscious mind would admit.

"Magical atrophy. My power was so strong, that even Dumbledore wasn't able to take it all, and some was siphoned off, and waited for the oppurtune time to rejoin my core. It happened all at once, and then, it just started deteriorating." The whispery voice didn't change. In fact, it sounded like the boy was welcoming death.

"And you're _okay_ with that? With your life ending that way? What about defeating the Dark Lord, or getting married, or becoming Minister of Magic or something?" Lucius demanded, shocked that anyone would _welcome_death at such a young age. At eight teen he himself was revelling in life, in his high position in the service of the Dark Lord.

"You make it sound like I have a choice, Lord Malfoy. I do not. I never did. And, yes, I accept that I am to die, because there is nothing in the world that can stop it, no cure for Magical Atrophy. I will die, Lucius Malfoy, but I want my goal to live on. That's why I need you. You are used to being in charge, to having to direct the actions of others. Originally the job was going to be your son's, but I fear Draco isn't ready, not yet. And as to Voldemort, well, no matter how he tries, no one is truly immortal. Nature will take care of him, just as it is of me." Harry sighed, his eyes distant.

"I refuse to become some vigilante in the fight against the destruction in the Wizarding World on the word of a teenager. And the Dark Lord has _come back to life before._You are the only person who can defeat him, and the only way he can die is by your wand. And, besides, what you're asking goes against every belief I've held since I was old enough to walk." Lucius hissed, growing irrationally angry, though, deep down, only to himself, he admitted that Potter was right about the Pureblood inbreeding. Belatrix Lestrange was a good example of that.

"I knew you were going to say that. I can't make you do this, but I do beg you sleep on it, and get back to me tomorrow. You can even leave me now, and go seek out your son. You have many things to discuss." Harry's green eyes were filled with barely hidden disappointment, and Lucius found himself wishing he hadn't put it there.

To make up for it, he said, "I will do that. I don't think I can change my mind that easily, but I promise to think." He swept out of the chair he was perched in, and out the door, not looking back once at the beautiful boy lounging in the too large chair.

He got directions from Amy to the infirmary without having to voice his question, and quickly made his way to his son's new domain.

Lucius knew he was close from the smell of antiseptic permeating the hall, and the faint sounds of groaning from those in pain.

Opening the wooden door carefully, he was met by a sight he knew would forever haunt him. His son, his only child, covered in blood that was not his own, tears pouring down his face as he clutched the hand of a stranger who was taking his last breaths. The origin of the blood was from the fact the man had no bottom half. Anything from his waist down was blasted clean off.

Lucius wasn't close enough to hear the man's last words, whispered to his heir, but he did see the light finally leave the strangers eyes, and could hear Draco whisper 'Goodbye,' before closing those eyes.

Lucius cleared his throat, and Draco spun around, catching sight of his father. He tried to establish the Malfoy mask that had been a permanent part of his face for all of his life, though Lucius could see the cracks in it. "I'm the Prince's Personal Healer. I'm supposed to be able to heal anything, save anyone." Draco said wryly, though his eyes held secret pain. Lucius opened his arms in a welcoming gesture that his son appeared to attempt to refuse, before he crumbled completely, the tears welling again, and he threw himself at the older man, clinging to him and sobbing into his robes like he hadn't done in years, even when his mother died, he had been self contained.

"He was so young!" The smaller blond wailed, "Only my age! People my age aren't supposed to die!" Oh, so he knew of Harry's condition..., Lucius thought, before continuing to listen to his son's woes, "It was an accident, a training accident! He was supposed to dodge! He came to me, but it was too late. I couldn't do anything but give him potions to numb the pain. I can't go through with this! I know he told me to be strong, that the cause was going to need me when he was gone, but I can't! I just can't!"

Lucius could tell when Draco left the subject of the dead man now laying on the bed, to the boy who was dying slowly even as they spoke. Harry had said so himself. There was no cure to Magical Atrophy.

"Draco. Draco, listen to me! There is nothing you can do to help him, and mourning him before he even dies will only serve to make him angry!" Lucius told his son, holding him closer and glad that the other patients in the room were asleep. No one was there to tell the tale of seeing two emotional Malfoys.

Watery gray eyes peeked up at him. "You know? How?" The tone wasn't suspicious, only curious.

"He... he told me himself, a few minutes ago." Lucius frowned when his son laughed.

"It's wrong, isn't it?" The younger Malfoy asked, "How blase he is about his own death? It's not right! He's _my age_! People my age aren't supposed to just accept their own deaths like that, or even die period!" Draco suddenly burst out.

Lucius wisely stayed silent, letting his son cling to him, and their shared knowledge. The Prince of Thieves, the Savior of the Wizarding World, the Boy-Who-Bloody-Lived, was dying, and both men were helpless to stop it.

But there was one thing Lucius could do for the dying boy, and even as Draco's tears soaked the front of his robes, he came to a decision he knew would change his life forever, and his views on magic entirely, but he would do it for his son, his pride and joy, to save his grandchildren from an unfortunate fate.

He would help the Prince reach his goal before the boy took his last breath.

OoOoOo

Neither Malfoy noticed the small beetle detach itself from the folds at the bottom of Lord Malfoy's silken robes.

Rita Skeeter had thought that Lucius Malfoy's desperate search for his wayward son would make for some juicy columns, but all thoughts of that plan were gone now.

Wait until the Wizarding Public found out Harry Potter was alive, and for them to see just how far the Golden Boy had fallen.

* * *

Yes, it's later than I said, but it's a bit hard to type out a chapter without a space bar, wouldn't you agree? I had to buy an external keyboard that plugged into a usb port so I could get this out. Why? Well, because I just _had _to buy the freakin oldest laptop on the market! They don't even make replacement keyboards for this thing anymore, if they ever did! So, yes, y'all met the requirements of this chapter. I'm already workig on the next one. Well, off to bed for me, I have a final exam review tomorrow.


	4. Chapter 4

Babble babble blah blah Chapter 4!

* * *

_**Chapter 4**_

_**Recap**_

_Rita Skeeter had thought that Lucius Malfoy's desperate search for his wayward son would make for some juicy columns, but all thoughts of that plan were gone now._

_Wait until the Wizarding Public found out Harry Potter was alive, and for them to see just how far the Golden Boy had fallen._

_

* * *

_

Colin Creevey, as soon as he graduated from Hogwarts, immediately accepted a job at the Daily Prophet as a photographer, first because he had dreamed of doing so all of his school days, but also because, as an inside man for the newspaper, he was useful to the Prince of Thieves, who he owed so much to.

_**Flashback: 2 Years**_

_His younger brother, Dennis, who was the only other wizard in his family, had something no one in the magical world had ever encountered before. Dennis had contracted brain cancer. At first they didn't really pay attention to the headaches, or occasional hallucination, but when it got worse during the summer in Dennis' fifth year and Collin's sixth, their mother demanded they go see a muggle neurologist. That's when they found out._

_It was too deep, too fast, and completely inoperable. Dennis had a year left to live. Collin, in desperation, had sent letters to every medi-witch and wizard he could find, but they all sent back in negative. It was very, very rare for a wizard to get cancer, and they had no real reason to research a cure._

_Finally, almost three months before his brother's time ran out, Collin gave up. He spent every moment with his younger brother, making memories, and telling him that on no uncertain terms that he loved him. He was running out of chances to do that. But one day a majestic snowy owl flew through the high windows of Hogwarts and landed right in front of him, sticking out her leg as she eyed him imperiously. _

_The letter stated that, although the sender hadn't received a letter from Collin, he had heard of his plea, and had a solution. The letter bid them to come out to Knockturn Alley, just off of Diagon Alley, in two days time, the day after the end of school. There they would be met by a boy who identified himself as the bard, who would lead them to the sender._

_There was no name signed; only the initial POT._

_On the day instructed, Collin lead his nearly delirious brother down into the bowels of the ill reputed alley, all the while wondering if this was a hoax, when a boy about two years younger than him with shaggy chestnut hair and amber eyes stepped out in front of them and introduced himself as the bard. He blindfolded both older boys, and led them away._

_They hear doors opening, and finally the blindfolds were pulled off, and Collin found himself staring into eyes he hadn't seen in almost five years._

"_Harry Potter." He whispered reverently. The older boy smiled softly._

"_Hello, Collin. Welcome to my court." Harry said. He led them up a grand staircase that seemed to still be under construction, and into a room filled with beds that smell of disinfectant. A medical room._

_Harry had Dennis lay down on one of the beds, and placed his hands gently on the younger boy's temples, closing his own eyes._

_Finally he opened them again, and smiled. "You came to me just in time, didn't you?" He asked Dennis softly, as Collin watched on in fascination._

"_How can you do something, Harry? You ran away in your second year, and medi-witches and wizards twice our age claimed they couldn't do anything." Collin asked. It wasn't as if he didn't believe Harry could do what he had promised, he was just curious as to how the raven haired teenager learned how to._

_Turning to his patient's older brother, Harry snapped on latex gloves, something that wasn't normally seen in magical hospitals._

"_Actually, by training by myself I've actually surpassed most witches and wizards in power and knowledge. But that's not the only reason I can do this when they normally can't. Most witches and wizards turn their noses up at muggle technology, which includes their medicine. I, on the other hand, embrace it, and mix it with magical medicine. What I'm going to do with your brother will be a mix of both. I'm going to open his skull to reveal his brain, then use magic to simulate a powerful dose of radiation. It's not exactly radiation, so it won't kill him, and the direct contact will eradicate the cancer completely." Harry explained patiently. Collin nodded, slightly in awe._

_Turning back to Dennis, Harry looked his patient in the eye, and for the first time in a month Dennis' eyes were clear and alert. "Dennis, there is a slight chance that the magic I use will overwhelm your brains ability to function, and you won't make it out of here. I warn you that you'll have to be awake through the whole procedure. Are you willing to proceed?" The raven haired boy asked seriously, to which the 15-year-old only nodded. "Are you ready to see what makes your brother tick, Collin?" Harry called over his shoulder, an attempt at joking. Collin didn't answer. He couldn't. _

_And so the procedure began. Raising a hand, Harry brought it down in one smooth gesture and, smooth as butter, the top of Dennis' skull separated from the rest, revealing his brain to the room. Collin gasped, and clutched a pillow from another bed fearfully. Dennis didn't say or do anything. His eyes had clouded back over, and he was lost to his delusions again. Harry positioned himself right where the cap like pert of skull had been hovering moments before, and it moved itself out of the way. He pointed resolutely at the pinkish tissue, and words that Collin had never heard of spilled out of his mouth. Finally a narrow beam of onyx light flew from his fingertips, and was absorbed into the younger sibling's brain._

_For a few moments, nothing happened, and Harry too that moment to reattach the skull cap seamlessly, then, before to Collin's utter delight, Dennis' eyes cleared, and he blinked in confusion up at the ceiling. Looking over to his brother, Dennis asked, "Collin, where are we?" Before he could utter another word, he was tackled by his brother._

_A few tests later, which tested Dennis' depth perception, motor functions, memory, and ability to analyze information, the boy was deemed completely okay, and his older sibling broke down in tears._

_Collin Creevey would owe Harry Potter for as long as he lived._

_**Flashback end**_

Now Dennis was attending his last year of school, after having to catch up on what he missed due to the brain tumor, and he became Head Boy, and Collin couldn't be prouder.

So he owed the Prince of Thieves for saving his brother, and giving him the chance to live his life.

As he stood by the water cooler, chatting idly with some of his coworkers, a high pitched voice called his name, and, recognizing it, he winced.

Rita Skeeter, one of the most ruthless and hated journalists he knew, was calling him over.

Collin almost ran away when she winked coyly at him. Even though the woman was about twice his age, the bespectacled witch had for some reason, become enamored with him, and requested him whenever she needed photographs.

But, because it was his job, he reluctantly made his way over to the bitch-er- witch.

"Collin, dear, how are you?" The older woman asked, fluttering her eyelashes.

"Rita, please, I need to get back to my proofing. Did you need something?" The young man queried, trying not to lose his lunch.

"Fine, fine. I need you to sneak into this address and take pictures of the boy on the throne. Can't miss him." She handed Collin a slip of parchment, and when he glanced at it, it was all he could do not to cry out in alarm.

On the slip of paper was the address for the Court of the Rouge.

"A guy on a throne? That's unusual." He stated instead, trying to keep his alarm from showing on his face. Rita nodded eagerly.

"I'll let you in on a little secret, but only because you're my favorite photographer. You know how Harry Potter disappeared six years ago after saving some little girl?" Collin nodded, swallowing uneasily, "And of course you've heard the rumors about the Prince of Thieves." That wasn't a question. Anybody worth their salt in the world of journalistic reporting had to have heard that rumor, though none could confirm it. "Well, what if I told you they were one and the same?" The older woman finished smugly.

Collin almost obliviated her right there, but there were too many witnesses around in order to do so. Instead he tried to look suitably shocked.

"You don't say! Wow, that _is_ big news, Rita, if you can prove it. I can see a promotion in your future if you're right." He declared.

Rita grinned wolfishly. "That's where _you_ come, Collin, darling. With a picture, no one can deny it. If you can capture the illusive Prince on film, well, there will probably be a promotion for you too! And when this story is out, and we both get promoted, why we can go out to dinner together to celebrate." She proclaimed.

Collin grimaced, but managed to turn it into a grin. He walked away, leaving her to her plotting, and into his own cubical.

Quickly he scribbled down a missive that he sent off with one of the post owls that belonged to the profit. He couldn't think of anything to do to stop the woman, but His Majesty probably could.

Harry saw the owl fly through the window at once, and frowned when it immediately flew over to him. He pet it and had one of the others bring it meat to eat while he read the message it carried.

He frowned, thinking hard. All of his thieves were loyal enough to keep his identity a secret. They had an honor code for that. Only one person wasn't honor bound to keep his secret.

"Kain!" He called, and like always, the man appeared instantly, without a sound.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" The man asked.

"Bring me Lucius Malfoy."

* * *

Yeah, yeah, it was a long time in coming. But I hit a severe depression that took quite a bit to pull out of. But I'm fine now, and hope to update more frequently!


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